Multiple tray



June 7, A1932. M. EHRLICH MULTIPLE TRAY Filed March 13, 1930 'IllIIlIIIIlIlllIIIII Patented June 7, 1932 MULTIPLE TB/AYI.-

i Application...led,.Marehel 113,. 1930.-, Serial No.f435,488.

Myv present invention relates' generally to'.

' particularly to a multiplej a carrier and more tray carrier.

The general object ofaiiy winvention is the provisionof a carrier made up of a pluralityv oftrays so associatedand related that the... trays can be maintainedin spaced super# posed relation for multiple .tray vcarrierA pur-4 poses or can be nested one within thev other so lcas to function as and give the effect cfa sin'- gle tray.

Another object ofniy invention isfthe provision -of an arrangement ofa pluralitypf trays, so constructed and arranged th'atthey `I' 5can be nested one within the other to function as and give-the effect of a single'tray.

The general object of my. invention is a provision of a new and improvedt'ray ofthe" character set fort-h."

F or the attainment of these .iobjectsand' V Figure 1 is a .perspective view ofimy travA .downwardly "5"" can be either maintained .such other objects as may hereinafter. appear or be pointed out, I have illustrated one'emibodiment of my invention .in the drawing wherein-V assembly fully collapsed Figure 2 is a view similartoFi'gure l show#A ing Ythe carrler expanded to provide. two

trays;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectiontaken-on line 3 3 of Figure 1 Figure@ is a vertical sectional viewof one corner ofthe tray of Figure 2 g 'and Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5 5 ef -'fFigure 4. i'

Upon viewing VFigure 2 of the' drawing.' it '1^ will be observed that my carrier provides two trays' and connecting means therebetween so arranged and constructed thatthfetwo trays Figure 2 to provide a plurality of tray members or can be nested as shown in Figure 1 so as to give the carrier all the aspects of 'the Yconventional single tray for general use.

` The lower tray member 9 comprises the base or bottom 10, the opposed side walls 11, and the opposed end walls 12 all constructed of any preferred or desired material and secured together in any desired manner to form i the tray.

yandside walls `so as vwardly". as do` also wardly` 'diverging thatthe flahge`2l of the upper tra;7

spaced as shown in'- The upper tray member 15 is made upf'of theopposed sidel "walls '16 andthe opposed endwalls 17. and a bottom termediatezof 'the top and bottom of the-end to provide a depression or space therea-bove asy welll as a space there-V belo'ws The bot-tomrldis supported in va channel-formed in the end and sidewall- Vas- Semblyyas shwnon Figure'S. i

` 18 which as shown 11n Figure of thedrawing is supported L1n- Thr-opposite insidefaces 20 of the opposed t sidefwallsfl2of the lower trayv are inclined outwardly and oppositely'and divergeupf the inside'faces of the op-V posed end walls 12 surfaces of the opposed side "walls 16' of the `upper tray 15 areinclined downwardly'y and provide outer, YdownwardlyE inward-ly sol as toA converging walls'and the outside surfaces of the opposedend walls 17 of this tray 15 con-vv verge similarly. The parts are so dimensioned and contouredthat the upper tray member 15 can be receivedV within the lower tray member 10"'andrnelsted therein.` Asv shown clearlyin Figure 3 of the' drawing, the 75 :converging outer fac-es of thef upper traynl iit snugly within the inner up f faces of the lower tray 9.V

It'will Ibe observed-upon studying Figure 3 member seatson top of the sideand end walls v11 and 12 of the lowertray to complete the nested assembly.. This flange '21 extends outwardly ber;

F rom the description thus far given,'it willI be understood that the lower and upper trays J beyond the perimeter; of the lower trayl mem-1rare'so dimensionech contoured and related that .when brought "togetherinto nested relation as'shown'in Figure 3 'of the drawing,

they twill: have the aspect of a single tray of the conventional character and vwhichy hasbeen illustrated in F igure- 1 of the drawing. This `f simulation-of the conventionall tray is enhanced by the effect of the overhanging On tlieroutsid'elof the endl-walls i12 of the lower member are lmounted the handles 25;v

whichserves-asv a :carrier anot only for then lower; traywhen bylitselffbut also for the ene5each of the posts gothe drawing.

tire assembly, whether collapsed as in Figure 1 or extended as in Figure 2.

The upper tray is provided centerly of the end walls 17 with member such as the knobs which the upper tray can be lifted from its nested association with the lower tray.

I will now describe my arrangement for maintaining the upper and lower tray members in spaced superposed relation as shown in Figure 2, but before doing so I will premise that this arrangement includes the employment of pivoted assemblies which conneet the corresponding corners of the upper and lower trays and which forms spacing members when extended.

Posts 3() are supported in the bottom 10 of the lower tray 9 adjacent each corner and in the manner shown in detail in Figure 4 of These posts 8f) extend through `the bottom and are each anchored thereto by means of a face plate 3l secured to the lower face of the bottom in any preferred or desired manner as by screws. The upper ends of 30 is slotted or bifurcated and upon viewing Figure 2 of the drawing, it will be observed that the slots or bifurcations in each post is at right angles to the corresponding slot in each of the posts on either side thereof. The reason for this will be pointed out shortly. y

Anchored to the lower surface of the upper tray 15 are the supports 35 (see Figures 4 and 5). These supports are in the form of bracket imenibers fastened the end and side walls respectively of the upper tray members 15 and are provided with forwardly extending ears 36.

The spacing assembly for the two trays is "shown very clearly in Figures 2 and 4 and comprises two members 88 and 39 pivoted to each other at 40 to form a knee oint therebetween. The members 38 are channeled members with the bottom 41 of each channel on the inner side so that the joint can break only inwardly and not outwardly. The channeled member 38 is each enlarged at the upper end as shown at 42 in Figure 5 and is yeach provided with flanges or side walls 43 or 44 vspaced apart a sufficient distance so as to em brace the ears 36 of the corresponding upper bracket support. From these ears, each channel member is supported for pivotal movement by means of the pins 46.

' Each lower member 39 is flattened at its lower end as shown at 50 and this flattened end is received within the slot or bifurcation at the upper end of the corresponding post 30 and is pivoted thereto by means of the pivot pins 51.

It has already been pointedout that the slot in the upper end of each post 30 is in a vertical plane at right angles to the plane of the slot on either side thereof. It will further be observed that these slots generally are to the lower surface of parallel to the adjacent side. The joint between the levers 38 and 39 will therefore break only inwardly and only then in the direction of the slot so that the already pointed out position of the slots causes each lever to break in a direction of right angles to that of the lever assembly on either side thereof. As result of this arrangement the accidently collapse of a tray assembly is prevented and it is only after each of the knee oints have been brokensuccessively in each of the four possible directions that the tray can be fully collapsed.-

The space provided below the bottom 18 of the upper tray as shown clearly in Figure 3 serves to receive within it the lever assemblies 38 and 39 when the trays are fully collapsed. This is an important feature of my invention because it eliminates any substantial increase in the height of the tray.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by` Letters Patent is- 1. In a device of the character described, a plurality of trays so contoured and dimensioned that one tray can be nested within the other so as to give the effect of a single tray and means for holding said trays in spaced superposed relation said means comprising collapsible elements to hold the tra-ys either in extended or nested relation, the upper tray having an overhanging flange which extends outwardly beyond the periphery of the lower tray when said elements are collapsed.

2. In a device of the character described, a plurality of trays so contoured and dimensioned that one tray can be nested within the other so as to give the effect of a single tray and means for holding said trays in spaced superposed relation, said means com prising collapsible elements to hold the trays either in extended or nested relation, said trays when nested having the bottom portions thereof spaced apart so as to receive said collapsible elements, within said space.

3. A device of the character described, comprising, in combination, a plurality of trays, collapsible means for maintaining the trays in spaced relation, said means when collapsed permitting the trays to assume a nested relation, said trays when nested providing a space between the bottoms thereof -within which said means can be received.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 11th day of March, 1930. I

MAX EHRLIGH. 

